Revolving sign



M. c. TREESH 2,102,550 REVOLVING SIGN Dec. 14, 1937.

Filed Aug. 1, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheei 1 Dec. 14, 1931. MQTREESH 2,102,550

REVOLVING SIGN Filed Aug. 1, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented De... 14, 1937 OFFIQE REVOLVING SIGN Morrison 0. Treesh, East St. Louis, 111., assignor of one-half to Commodore. Carr, East St. Louis,

Application August 1,

1 Claim.

This invention relates to revolving signs. An object is to provide a sign of this character using neon or other types of illumination, the structure being so designed as to conceal the driving mechanism, the transformers, collector rings, etc, so that only the display portion of the sign and the structural features associated therewith are visible to the observer.

' With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists of certain novel details of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter more fully described and pointed out in the claim, r it being understood that changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit of the invention as claimed.

In the accompanying drawings the preferred form of the invention has been shown.

In said drawings Figure 1 is an elevation of a sign embodying the present improvements.

Figure 2 is an enlarged section on line 22, Figure 1. I

Figure 3 is an enlarged section on line 3-3,

Figure 2. I l

Figure 4 is a section through the commutator of the sign.

Referring to the figures by characters of 'refer-' ence I designates a suitable supportingmember of any desired construction but preferably tubular so as to constitute a conduit through which wires leading to the sign can be extended. In the illustrated structure the member l extends into and supports a drum-like unit constituting the body of the sign structure, the same being of any desired configuration. This unit includes hubs 2 and 3 mounted for rotation on the member .l'and provided with anti-friction bearings indicated generally at 4. Arms 5 radiate from the upper hub 2 while other arms 6 radiate from the lower hub 3. The outer ends of the upper arms are joined by a rim I preferably flanged as indicated at 8 while the outer ends of the lower arms are connected by arim 9 having an inwardly extended bottom flange ID. This bottom flange supports plates H of any suitable material and configuration.

Mounted on and secured to the lower hub 3 is a sleeve I2 supporting a gear housing [3 which is fastened thereto and is formed preferably of upper and lower sections detachably connected as indicated at M. Housing l3 has an extension i5 in which is journalled the upwardly extending shaft it of an electric motor ll. This shaft car- 1936, Serial No. 93,892

ries a screw or worm It! for transmitting motion through the usual worm gear, to a shaft l9. This shaft is journalled within the housing l3 and its extension l5 and carries a gear 20 which constantly meshes with another larger gear 2| located in 5 housing I3 and fixedly secured to the tubular member I as shown at' 22.

Insulating posts 23 and 24 are fixedly'mounted on the housing l3 each of which carries brushes as indicated at 25 and 26. These brushes con- 10 tact with commutators 21 and collector rings 28 insulated from but fixedly secured to member I. Current is supplied to these elements by wire 29 extending through member I. v

The rims l and 9 carry a housing 30 constituting the outer surface of the sign structure and on this housing are arranged the illuminating elements 3i which can be in the form of neon tubes, or any other type of illuminating means. They can be positioned to give any effect found most desirable and have been indicated generally in Figure 1 as forming Words, borders, etc. The upper and lower portions of the drum on housing 30 can be stepped as shown at 32 in Figure 1, or any other design of sign can be employed to meet the taste of the user.

Transformers 33 are located at desired points on the plates l l and are suitably wired to the brushes 25 and 26 and also electrically connected to the illuminating elements 3 1. Motor I1 is likewise properly connected electrically to the brushes 25 that engage the collector rings 28.

It will be apparent that when current is directed into the motor H, the gear 20 will be "driven slowly by the worm gearing indicated gen- 35 erally at I8. As a result this gear 20. will be caused to travel along the fixed gear 2| and as the motor and gear 23 are carried by the rotatably supported portion of the sign, it willbe apparent that housing 30 will be caused to rotate slowly 40 about the tubular member. As the brushes 26 electrically connected to the motor are in contact constantly with the collector rings 28 to which the input and output wires 29 are extended, the operation of the motor and of the sign housing or casing 30 will be continuous. The brushes 25 engaging the commutators 21, however, will set up a desired intermittent current to the display members of the sign with the result that these members 3! will be illuminated whenever desired during the rotation of the sign.

Importance is attached to the fact that all of the mechanism of the sign is completely housed within the casing or housing 30 so that it is invisible and is fully protected. The sign can be mounted in any manner desired and can be rotated about a vertical or a horizontal axis; as Will be apparent.

of the sign, it will'be obvious that other types of illumination can be employed or the illumination can beeliminated entirely, especially during the daytime. V r 7 The sign will of course be made weather-tight in any preferred Way, What is claimed is:

A rotary sign including a supporting member,

upper and lower rotary members thereon each ineluding a hub, radial arms and a rim having an inwardly extended flange, a sleeve securedup'on As before stated it can be'of' any configuration preferred and while it is preferred to use neon tubes for the display portions port, a housing surrounding and carried by the ,upper and lower rotatable members, lamps carried by the housing, and means on'the supporting 1 member for distributing electric current to the motor and lamp during the rotation of the flange about the supporting member.

MORRISON C. TREESH. 

